


Roll Initiative

by TheBashfulPoet



Series: Dungeons & Foxes [1]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Exy (All For The Game), Ambiguous/Open Ending, Dungeons & Dragons References, Fluff, M/M, Pining Andrew Minyard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:55:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBashfulPoet/pseuds/TheBashfulPoet
Summary: Listen ApprenticedMagician, you said D&D and I freaking flipped! I had just so much fun writing this so I hope you enjoy it!
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Dungeons & Foxes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727476
Comments: 26
Kudos: 190
Collections: AFTG Exchange Valentine's Day 2020





	Roll Initiative

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ApprenticedMagician](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApprenticedMagician/gifts).



> Listen ApprenticedMagician, you said D&D and I freaking flipped! I had just so much fun writing this so I hope you enjoy it!

Roll Initiative | rōl - iˈniSH(ē)ədiv |

_Verb_

  1. The act of Rolling just before a big fight to determine reaction time
  2. Jumping into the fray of battle
  3. Taking a risk



* * *

Kevin and Neil stare each other down, a tense silence sitting thick over the table as they wait for who will break first. Or rather, Matt, Dan, and Allison wait, _Andrew_ knows perfectly well how this was going to end.

“Roll initiative.”

The table explodes into groans and shouts.

“Damn it, Neil!”

“We were sent to interview the guy, not start _another_ fight!”

“He started it!” Neil huffs with a toss of his hands. “All I did was tell him the truth.”

At that Andrew cocks a brow, “Calling him, and I quote, an ignorant bastard who didn’t know his ass from his mouth is the truth?”

“Are you telling me it _isn’t_?”

Andrew gives him an unimpressed look. “I’m telling you that you’re a menace and we should have left you in the street we found you in.”

“But then you wouldn’t have nearly as much fun as you do,” Neil smirks. “Besides I’m your favorite.”

Andrew hoped his blank face sufficiently conveyed how little he found that statement amusing. No matter the truth in it.

See the fact of the matter is that Neil had wormed his way under Andrew’s skin in the worst way possible and broke through every wall and barrier a shitty childhood and an abrasive personality had left him. Neil made him vulnerable — made him _feel_ and _yearn_ and _want_ and Andrew hated him for it.

“That doesn’t sound like rolling,” Kevin sneers.

The party grumbles but the sound of dice hitting wood fills the air not soon after. Andrew is the last to pick up his d20.

“A fucking menace.”

He rolls.

* * *

When Matt had said he had a replacement for Seth after the break-up-that-shall-not-be-named with Allison, Andrew had thought little of it. For a party that’s been playing as long as they have, people coming and going rarely meant anything more than a temporary annoyance — just a distraction that screwed with the usual pecking order. On top, of course, was Kevin, their almighty DM and often times the bane of their existence. Just below him came Dan’s elven bard that acted as the party’s de facto leader; then came the tanks with Andrew’s dwarven barbarian and Allison’s human fighter; and tying up the end came Matt’s support with a Firbolg cleric. They worked. Everyone else just complicated things.

Case and point the introduction of one Neil Josten.

On their first session with their newest party member, Neil had flown into the room nearly an hour later in a flurry of limbs, windswept hair, and the bluest eyes Andrew has ever seen before in his life promptly before Neil spilled water all over the table and ruined Andrew’s character sheet. Right then and there Andrew knew he was going to be a problem. When Neil’s character — a chaotic tiefling with a propensity for kleptomania — shoved a stolen artifact into the party’s hands before dragging them into a city-wide chase with the local guardsmen, Andrew thought the party would agree.

But then next week came and Neil was still at the table and the week after that and the next _three_ after that before Andrew realized a month had gone by and Neil was slowly becoming a permanent fixture in their little game. What’s worse is that no one saw the menace for what he was — they _loved_ him. Matt and Dan practically adopted him as their son while Allison decided he was her newest partner in crime. Even Kevin, Mr. rule-stickled dungeon master himself, humored Neil and his antics. And he kicked Nicky out for flirting too much with the NPCs.

Yet, the most infuriating part was that even Andrew found himself falling into Neil’s thrall. Felt himself staring too long at the mess of red curls that sat on top of his head and fell into his face every time he leaned over the table to get a better look at the map. Felt himself get sucked into those blue blue eyes that sparked with fire and mirth every time he tore into a rude character with that sharp wit of his. Found himself captivated by the twitch of his jaw when he was biting lip in an attempt not to start another fight. Became hopelessly lost in the curve of that smirk and the hint of a pink tongue sticking out when he was deep in thought.

Everything about Neil demanded attention. He was chaos embodied — a forest fire blazing through California in the summer or a tornado ripping through the plains of the Midwest. One did not avoid or ignore him but rather weathered the storm and hoped they made it out alive by the time he passes. And just like everyone else, Andrew found himself hunkered down and powerless to tear his eyes away. No matter how desperately he tried.

“Bee, you don’t understand, it took us _weeks_ to carefully plan a way into this dungeon and then _Neil_ comes along and ruins it all.” Andrew sinks lower into the armchair. “ _Weeks_. Who even agrees to be randomly teleported by some weirdo in a jail cell?”

Bee takes a sip of her hot chocolate. “It couldn’t have been that bad.”

He glares at her. “Kevin teleported us straight into the main chamber where a _mind flayer_ was waiting for us. In a room full of squishy brain-eating monsters and a floor that tried to swallow us.”

“If I remember correctly, Matt got you guys into a similar situation when he insisted on following a disembodied hand that led you all to the lair of a mass murderer.”

“But at least _he_ didn’t do it on purpose,” Andrew points out.

“Neither did Neil, I’m sure.”

“Unlikely. He lives to make my life miserable.”

She arches a brow. “Something tells me you mean more than just in the game.”

“I do. He’s a fucking menace.”

“Oh?”

“He waltzes into the room like he owns the place, leaving shit _everywhere_ to the point that I think even _I_ have a couple of his sweaters at my place. And don’t get me _started_ on his damn mouth. I don’t think he knows the meaning of shut up — not to mention personal space when he’s reaching for something across the table. And then he’s constantly throwing his head back laughing at the stupidest jokes like they are the funniest thing in the world. With that stupid smile of his and those _fucking_ blue eyes-”

“ _Oh_.”

“Oh? What oh? There is no _oh_.”

“Andrew.”

“ _There is no oh_.”

She stares at him in silence, eyes searching for an answer on what he knows is a blank mask. After a moment, she sighs and sets her mug down. “Isn’t there?”

He clenches his jaw and presses his lips into a tight line as Bee’s question bounces around his brain. _Isn’t there?_ He thinks back to last week’s session — to how Neil leaned in to whisper into Andrew’s ear to snicker as Kevin went on another historical rant about some tome Dan had found. He thinks about how the warms of Neil’s breath sent a shiver down his spine and made his hands clammy despite that they were pressed against his jeans. He remembers the sound of his heart pounding in hears and the way his body felt colder when Neil moved away. _Isn’t there?_

“Fuck,” he breathes.

The look in Bee’s eyes is too sympathetic for him to bear, so he stares at the ground. “Oh Andrew. Liking someone isn’t the end of the world.”

Andrew resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Is this the part where you start spitting out platitudes about how what I feel is okay? Or how about how I can’t let my time bouncing around the foster system affect how I view relationships now that I’m an adult? Oh, I know! What about how my fear of attachment keeps me from connecting with others? Now _that’s_ one we haven’t covered in a while.”

“No,” she says calmly, “I think you remember those lessons just fine. The question is will you _listen_ to them or just ignore what you’re feeling because it’s easier?”

He stands from the chair and glares at her. “You’re fired. Again.”

She chuckles as he leaves. “I’ll see you next week, Andrew.”

* * *

Neil Josten was a problem and one he didn’t know if he could solve. That is not to say that he didn’t try. He tried everything from glaring menacingly across the table to actively provoking him to even acting like he didn’t exist. Hell, when all those failed, he even went as far as skipping their sessions for three weeks before Kevin started blowing up his phone with rants about tardiness and honoring his obligations and blah blah blah. Andrew had turned off his phone after the first five but then Kevin just showed up at his house and started giving those lectures in person until Andrew slammed the door in his face. All in all, it worked pretty well up until the point where Neil ran into him at the store. Well perhaps cornered is the better term.

“You haven’t been to D&D for three weeks.”

It’s only thanks to Andrew’s years of perfecting a picture of apathy that keeps him from jumping and throwing up the cans he was currently inspecting. He sets them down before chancing it all the same.

“Astute observation.” He picks something off the shelf at random and drops it in the car before moving on, hopefully leaving this conversation and Neil behind.

No such luck.

“Yes, I’m quite full of those,” Neil quips, easily keeping stride with Andrew. “The question is _why_?”

“Maybe I’m avoiding you.”

Neil smiles sheepishly, “Well then this is incredibly awkward.” He wipes at the fringe of hair clinging to his forehead and for the first time, Andrew notices that he’s dripping wet. “I guess I’ll just leave you to it then…”

He turns to go and for a second Andrew feels nothing but relief. Then he sees the puddle forming beneath the man’s sneakers and the way his clothes cling to his skin like a second skin and he asks, “Why are you wet?”

Neil stops. “Huh?”

Andrew looks down at the floor that is becoming increasingly wetter.

“Oh.” He smiles. “Was out jogging when the storm hit. I was on my way back home when I saw your car parked in the lot out front. Figured it was as good a time as any to see if I could catch you.”

“Ever hear of a phone?”

Neil shrugs, “Can’t call and text someone you don’t have the number of.”

“The others have it,” Andrew points out.  
Another shrug.

“Doesn’t matter much now. I caught you in the end.” Neil smiles at that like he’s privy to some secret joke. “But I’ve held you up long enough. I’ll let you finish your shopping.”

Once more he turns to go and Andrew really should let him, but then he says, “Do you want a ride home?”

As the words leave his mouth, he immediately regrets them. Then Neil smiles and he thinks that maybe he doesn’t quite mind as much.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Andrew nods, firmly determined to keep his mouth shut before he can say anything else that could dig him further into a hole, and resumes pushing his cart along towards the rest of his list. Neil leisurely follows him around, wet sneakers squeaking with every step he takes and leaving puddles every time he stands still longer than a minute. He apparently decides that Andrew’s silence is the perfect opportunity to catch him up on all the antics the party’s been up to since he last played (which knowing Neil’s tendency to start trouble at any given moment was a lot). By the time the car arrives at the front of Neil’s apartment, he’s just reaching the end.

“Which is _exactly_ why we need you back so we can muscle our way past the guards and get into the capital to-”

“Why do you care?” He can’t help himself from asking. Because it just didn’t make sense. Andrew had been nothing but hostile at worst or indifferent at best towards Neil, so why would he care so much about getting Andrew to come back.

Neil smiles and unbuckles the seatbelt, popping the lock and opening the door so the sound of pouring rain filled the silence of the car. “Because I like playing with everyone. I like playing with _you_.”

Andrew doesn’t know what to say to that, so he says nothing. But the silence must not bother Neil because he only grins wider before hopping out the car and into the storm.

“Come to D&D next week.”

He should tell him no. Should drive off down the road and finally rid himself of Neil Josten. Instead, he opens his mouth and says, “Maybe.”

Neil’s eyes meet his in a knowing look. “See you around, Andrew.”

He closes the door and Andrew doesn’t waste a second more before he presses down on the gas and takes off, resolving himself not to look in the rearview mirror to see if Neil’s receding figure still stood on the sidewalk. He makes it to the end of the street before giving in.

Neil still stood there hands in pockets watching him go.

Andrew went to the next session.

* * *

Andrew barges into Bee’s office during her lunch hour flops onto the couch with a huff. “What’s the quickest way to make someone feel so uncomfortable that they leave and never come back?”

Bee quirks an eyebrow behind the thin wire frame of her glasses but didn’t raise her gaze from the book in her hands.

“Usually going with a question like that will do the trick.”

He waves her off. “Tried that. It didn’t really stick. I need something more concrete, something that will really spell it out in neon lights.”

“Ah so this is about Neil then.” She turned a page. “Have you ever considered just telling him how you feel? You know instead of whatever _this_ is?”

“I have. Repeatedly. I hate him.”

The page turns with a pointed _fwhip_.

“I do.”

_Fwhip_.

He sinks lower into the cushion. “He doesn’t feel the same way.”

“Andrew.” She sets the book in her lap.

“ _He doesn’t_.”

“How do you know? Has he said as much? Given you any sort of indication that was the case? Or are you just hoping he doesn’t because it means you won’t have to deal with what he makes you feel?”

Silence.

She sighs, “I can’t make you do anything, Andrew. You’re an adult capable of making your own life decisions. Just the same I can’t promise that if you choose to tell Neil about how you feel that he will return those feelings.” She leans forward and pins him with a hard gaze. “ _But_ I can tell you that nothing will change at the way you’re going. Something’s gotta give.”

He sits there in silence, arms crossed, and eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling. She waits him out.

“I thought I fired you as my therapist,” he finally grumbles.

A grin breaks across her face as she raises the book back up. “And yet you still keep stopping by.”

* * *

A week later and it’s Andrew’s turn to host the next session. With his living room cleared and the furniture shoved against the walls to make way for the table he had dragged in from the kitchen and the promise of four large pizzas to be delivered in 30 minutes, Andrew had little to do but sit around and wait for the rest of the party to show up. A glance at his phone tells him they should start popping up anywhere between now and just after the pizza arrives. Kevin will probably be the first to arrive — the man never late for a session a day in his life; Dan and Matt would float in somewhere in the middle with Allison strutting in minutes before they were about to set up. Neil was the unpredictable one, ranging from showing up within seconds after Kevin to flying in moments before they’re about to give up and play without him.

The doorbell rings and Andrew picks himself off the couch. _Five minutes early, must be Kevin._

It isn’t. The door swings open and reveals a shock of tousled red curls, blue eyes sparkling with mischief, and a blindingly wide smile.

“I told Kevin you moved the time up by a half hour.” Neil greets him as he slides past Andrew into the living room. “I give him 20 more minutes before he shows up.”

Still stuck at the door, Andrew stares at the empty porch Neil just vacated. When his brain reboots, he remembers to close it and turn back to his unexpected guest. “And the others?”

Neil shrugs, plopping himself onto the couch and propping his feet on the coffee table like he belongs there. “Will probably get here when they normally do. Though I did text them to see if you could get here in the next 15 minutes just to see Kevin’s face when he realizes he’s the last to arrive.”

Andrew has to tap down on the twitch at the corner of his mouth and the bubble of amusement fluttering in his chest. He must do a good enough job because Neil continues on, oblivious to Andrew’s inner turmoil.

“But for now, it’s just us.” He gives Andrew another of those shy smiles.

When Andrew’s sure his blank mask is firmly in place, he replies, “You’re a menace.”

Neil smiles as blinding and hypnotizing as he always does. “But you _like_ it.”

And Andrew pauses. He thinks of Bee’s words, of the fluttering in his stomach, of blue blue eyes, and of the beauty and chaos he found himself powerlessly submitting to. He thought of all those things and the way the word “us” rolled off Neil’s tongue like the sweetest promise. He paused and thought and breathed and –

Rolled initiative.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't hate me too much for that ending, but it just felt so fitting.
> 
> It feels good to be writing again and you can bet your bottom dollar I plan to get more of my WIPs done in the next few months *side eyes unfinished thesis on my desktop* hopefully.


End file.
